The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) is Australia's national transport safety investigator. The ATSB's function is to improve safety and public confidence in the aviation, marine and rail modes of transport. The ATSB is Australia's prime agency for the independent investigation of civil aviation, rail and maritime accidents, incidents and safety deficiencies.

Loss of Daeyang Honey en route to Mizushima, Japan

The South Korean bulk ore carrier Daeyang Honey sailed
from Koolan Island, Western Australia on 14 October 1992, with a
crew of 28. The ship was loaded with a full cargo of about 122,300
tonnes of low-grade iron ore, bound for the Japanese port of
Mizushima.

In the afternoon of 22 October, a signal from a float-free
emergency position indicator radio beacon (EPIRB) was detected by
the search and-rescue polar orbiting satellite system
(COSPAS-SARSAT), about 300 miles east of the Philippine Islands,
close to the area of the typhoon Colleen. The EPIRB was identified
as coming from the Daeyang Honey.

An initial air search by the United States authorities based on
the Island of Guam was hindered by bad weather associated with the
typhoon. On 25 October, in better flying conditions, a liferaft was
located and ships in the area were requested to search for
survivors and wreckage.

On 26 October the liferaft was relocated and a little later the
EPIRB, surrounded by debris, was also sighted. The motor vessel
Azaleaeverett was diverted to the position of the EPIRB, where
debris and the beacon were found, but no survivors. At about the
same time, the motor vessel Bum Ju located the liferaft
and positively identified it as belonging to the Daeyang
Honey.

The Daeyang Honey had loaded iron ore on a number of
occasions at the Australian ports of Dampier and Port Hedland.

Conclusions

Nothing occurred at Koolan Island that contributed to the loss
of the vessel.

The cargo loaded contained no characteristic that would have
involved an increased risk over the normal ore shipped from Koolan
Island.

The failure to supply the master with a written loading
declaration had no bearing on the loss of the ship. The information
on Koolan Island iron ore, contained in such a declaration, would
not have altered or modified the loading of the cargo.

The Daeyang Honey encountered a severe tropical storm
(typhoon) during 21 and 22 October. It would seem that the ship
foundered from whatever cause in the early afternoon of 22 October
1992. The storm must be considered to have significantly
contributed to the loss.